Suspect crashes into store, leads police on chase

November 16, 2012 10:40:19 AM PST

Crystal Kobza

HOUSTON --

Police are still looking for a man who slammed his SUV into the front of a store and then led police on a chase last night in northwest Houston.

The cleanup has started at the Corner Store on Antoine near Acorn where a driver crashed straight into the store, only to then back up and leave. Surveillance video captured the dramatic scene from both outside and inside the store.

"I thought maybe the door, they must have broke the door and came in, but I never expected them to drive their whole car in," said store owner Prashant Shah.

According to police, officers who were driving by saw the suspect leaving the store and tried to stop the vehicle. The driver then stopped for police and after a short conversation, sped away, leading officers on a chase.

"I'm happy at least the police were passing by because they caught the car they didn't get the suspect yet, you know," Shah said.

The store's owner says he has had bad luck over the past two weeks at his store. He tells Eyewitness News on November 1, someone else broke into the store by breaking the glass and then cut the burglar bars to get inside. And just a few days later on November 12, an employee was forced to hand over cash at gunpoint.

"Then you have to keep the store closed for so many days to fix everything," he said.

This morning as nearby residents stopped by, they were taken back by the damage and the recent crime streak at the store.

"What can they get? I mean, what's in here to get? There is nothing in here to get," said nearby resident Charles Turner.

Police did recover the SUV involved in the incident. Authorities say the driver was not the owner of the vehicle.